1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for detecting gates in an automatic pouring machine for casting which successively pours molten metal into a plurality of molds located on a pouring line to be intermittently conveyed therealong through a pouring trough extending above and across the pouring line to be horizontally swingable along the direction of the pouring line. More particularly, it relates to a device for detecting gates by swingingly moving the pouring trough horizontally along the pouring line to align a pouring spout provided in the trough with the gate of a mold to be poured in the pouring operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When successively pouring molten metal into a plurality of molds conveyed along pouring line utilizing an automatic pouring machine, it is necessary to completely align the spout of the pouring machine with the gate of the mold to be poured. However, in case of molds produced by a type molding machine utilizing no flasks, there sometimes occurs displacement between the spout of the pouring machine and the gate of the mold because of possible variations in spaces between each two gates since the molds tend to vary in thickness, i.e., in size in the direction of the pouring line depending on the quality of the sand and changes in the pressure in molding.
Therefore, it is necessary to confirm alignment of the spout and the gate previous to pouring operation, and when the gate is out of place, it should be properly located by detection of the position thereof.
In the conventional device, thus, an operator observes the pouring operation through a television, and when displacement occurs between the spout and the gate, a trough swingably provided in the pouring machine is driven by a push button to swingingly move in the longitudinal direction of the pouring line for proper alignment of the spout provided in the trough and the gate of the mold. However, such a device requires the operator prodigious labor and technical skill, and further, there is the possibility of overflow of the molten metal by erroneous operation.